July 1, 2020
St. Charles County, Missouri – As the St. Charles County Election Authority prepares for the Aug. 4 and Nov. 3, 2020, elections, new mail-in and absentee voting measures passed by the Missouri legislature provide additional options for voters during the COVID-19 pandemic. The signing of Senate Bill 631 allows Missouri voters to cast ballots by mail with a notarized ballot envelope, and for those in at-risk categories for contracting COVID-19 or who have already contracted the illness to vote by absentee ballot without notarization.
“Everyone who is registered to vote should have the opportunity to do so safely and securely,” says St. Charles County Director of Elections Kurt Bahr. “We hope these added measures encourage a high voter turnout, whether citizens vote in person, by mail, or absentee.”
Mail-In Voting
According to the Missouri Secretary of State website, all registered voters are eligible to vote by mail. St. Charles County voters may request a mail-in ballot in person at the Election Authority, located at 397 Turner Blvd., St. Peters, MO 63376, or by completing the application at sccmo.org/ElectionAuthority.
- For the Aug. 4 primary, requests must be received by 5 p.m., Wednesday, July 22. Mail-in ballots must be in a notarized envelope, returned through the U.S. mail, and be received by the Election Authority by 7 p.m. on Election Day, Aug. 4.
- For the Nov. 3 general election, requests must be received by 5 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 21. Mail-in ballots must be in a notarized envelope, returned through the U.S. mail, and received by the Election Authority by 7 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 3.
Absentee Voting
Voters are eligible to cast an absentee ballot without a notary if they are incapacitated or confined because of illness, or if in 2020, the voter has contracted COVID-19 or is at-risk because of other specific conditions. Voters are eligible for an absentee ballot with a notary for religious beliefs or practice, working as an election worker, incarceration (if still eligible to vote), certified participation in an address confidentiality program , or absence on election day from election jurisdiction.
- For the Aug. 4 primary, requests for an absentee ballot by mail must be submitted by 5 p.m., Wednesday, July 22. Absentee voting for the August primary is available at the Election Authority office 8 a.m.–5 p.m., every weekday, until Monday, Aug. 3.
- For the Nov. 3 general election, requests must be received by 5 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 21. Absentee voting for the November election will be available at the Election Authority office beginning Tuesday, Sept. 22.
Polling Place Precautions
As was protocol during the June election, for the August and November elections, St. Charles County polling places will provide hand sanitizer for voters. Styluses used for voters to sign in will be sanitized after each use and voting booths will be spaced to accommodate social distancing. Voters are encouraged to wear face masks while at their polling place.
Judge tables will be equipped with Plexiglas shields and spaced for social distancing. Disinfectant wipes, masks and gloves will be provided for each election judge. Pending CDC guidelines at the time of the election, social distancing posters and floor markers may also be in place.
The last day to register to vote in the Aug. 4 election is Wednesday, July 8. The last day to register to vote in the Nov. 3 General Election is Wednesday, Oct. 7. Additional information about 2020 voting options in Missouri can be found at sos.mo.gov/elections/goVoteMissouri. Information and applications to request absentee or mail-in ballots in St. Charles County are available at sccmo.org/ElectionAuthority.